Freedom
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free..." (Galatians 5:1).
What a great thing it is that Election Day and Veteran's Day fall in the same week. I know it's not Election Day everywhere in the country, but in our city, there is a hotly contested mayoral election that will take place tomorrow. And how thankful I am that I live in a place where we have a chance to have a say, to choose those who will lead us...even when we have to live with the (perhaps) unforeseen consequences of such elected leaders. (That's why we get to vote them out every so often as well!) But as I approach Election Day, I'm very much aware that such freedom, such privilege, such responsibility did not come easily. It is because of those who have served and continue to serve to protect our nation that we enjoy such freedom. It is a debt we can never be thankful enough for.
Freedom, however, has become something we take for granted. We fail to realize how easily nations slip from freedom to slavery. When we define freedom as "everyone can do what they want, no matter how it affects anyone else," we're in dangerous territory. The fragile balance of freedom, which those veterans and current members of the armed forces fought so hard to preserve, depends on all of us focusing on the common good, not just what "I" think is good. Freedom depends on the free taking responsibility for more than just "me."
The same is true in the Christian faith. For freedom (from sin, from death, from fear) Jesus set us free. So, Paul tells the Galatians, do not slip into slavery again...and yet that's often what we do. We slip into slavery to rules, to denominational systems, to worship styles...the list could go on and on. We forget that Jesus gave his life so that we could love him and love others—not so that we could just do whatever we want no matter how it affects others. But our freedom also involves gratitude—first and foremost to Jesus for all he has done. Do we show that kind of gratitude...when we put everything else before worship, when we consider ourselves too busy to serve God, when we force our way of doing things on someone else? Jesus command to us was to love one another—that was his "new command." Do we do that? Every day?
This week, as you vote (and you should vote), as you thank a veteran or two (and you should give thanks), as we celebrate freedom in these unique ways, remember the one who gave us ultimate freedom and allow your soul to be filled with gratitude, mercy and love "for the one who gave it all."
What a great thing it is that Election Day and Veteran's Day fall in the same week. I know it's not Election Day everywhere in the country, but in our city, there is a hotly contested mayoral election that will take place tomorrow. And how thankful I am that I live in a place where we have a chance to have a say, to choose those who will lead us...even when we have to live with the (perhaps) unforeseen consequences of such elected leaders. (That's why we get to vote them out every so often as well!) But as I approach Election Day, I'm very much aware that such freedom, such privilege, such responsibility did not come easily. It is because of those who have served and continue to serve to protect our nation that we enjoy such freedom. It is a debt we can never be thankful enough for.
Freedom, however, has become something we take for granted. We fail to realize how easily nations slip from freedom to slavery. When we define freedom as "everyone can do what they want, no matter how it affects anyone else," we're in dangerous territory. The fragile balance of freedom, which those veterans and current members of the armed forces fought so hard to preserve, depends on all of us focusing on the common good, not just what "I" think is good. Freedom depends on the free taking responsibility for more than just "me."
The same is true in the Christian faith. For freedom (from sin, from death, from fear) Jesus set us free. So, Paul tells the Galatians, do not slip into slavery again...and yet that's often what we do. We slip into slavery to rules, to denominational systems, to worship styles...the list could go on and on. We forget that Jesus gave his life so that we could love him and love others—not so that we could just do whatever we want no matter how it affects others. But our freedom also involves gratitude—first and foremost to Jesus for all he has done. Do we show that kind of gratitude...when we put everything else before worship, when we consider ourselves too busy to serve God, when we force our way of doing things on someone else? Jesus command to us was to love one another—that was his "new command." Do we do that? Every day?
This week, as you vote (and you should vote), as you thank a veteran or two (and you should give thanks), as we celebrate freedom in these unique ways, remember the one who gave us ultimate freedom and allow your soul to be filled with gratitude, mercy and love "for the one who gave it all."
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